Robots, records, roller derbies and more weekend events

The world descends on Boston with a very special Marathon Monday coming up, and the city’s slate of events rises to the occasion. If you’re hanging out with any runners this weekend, remember that it’s just good etiquette to pay for their beers. They need the carbs, after all.

* Celebrate art and alliteration at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum’s Third Thursdays: Moda party, featuring live music, a cash bar, and the new contemporary fashion exhibition from Carla Fernandez, “The Barefoot Designer.” If she’s anything like the Barefoot Contessa, my girl Ina Garten, all the garments on display will specifically use GOOD fabrics. It really makes a difference. 4.17. 5:30p. $12-15

* Combining the forces of text, song and physicality, “The Wholehearted” from ArtsEmerson opens Thursday with a narrative fraught with the violence of love and the sexuality of sports. If you don’t know what that means, I guess you’ve never felt your pants get a little tight after Brady hits Edelman down the seam on a perfect play-action fake. The Future Boston Alliance presents special post-show lobby talks after the Thursday and Friday performances, and you can snag discounted tickets with the code Future25. 4.17. 7:30p. $25

* After moving from Japan to Boston in 2005, artist Kenji Nakayama spent the past decade mastering the art of pinstriping and traditional sign-painting. Check out his new Etudes series for the Fourth Wall Project at Friday’s opening reception. The 49 works will be displayed in the gallery through May 18. 4.18. 7p. FREE

* Science is totally having a moment right now, either due to the popularity of “Breaking Bad” or the fact that studying science is a solid path to a real career instead of perpetual membership in the creative underclass. So it’s a perfect time for the Cambridge Science Festival, kicking off Friday and running through April 27. This weekend’s events include Friday’s Big Ideas for Busy People (kind of like mini TED talks) and Saturday’s Science Carnival and Robot Zoo (kind of like a zoo without the poopy smell). 4.18 to 4.27. Various times, locations and prices

* The Boston Graduate School of Psychoanalysis “Do We Fear Women?” lecture and discussion examines whether a cultural fear of women exists, which yes it totally does, but only because we fear what we don’t understand. If you’ve ever tried to analyze texts from a girl you like to figure out if she likes you back, then you know what I’m talking about. A riddle wrapped in an enigma inside an emoji. 4.19. 10a. FREE

* And obviously all men are a little bit intimidated by women who do roller derby. The Boston Derby Dames kick off their season Saturday at Shriner’s Auditorium, taking on the Charm City rollers from Baltimore. One time on the T I saw a big group of ladies wearing shirts that said “Hell on Wheels” so I got excited and asked if they were a roller derby team, ‘cuz of the shirts. “Um, we’re a bachelorette party,” one answered. “Our shirts say ‘Hell on Heels.’” Reading comprehension is important. 4.19. 7p. $12-16

* Celebrate National Record Store Day by stopping by the local vinyl shop and picking up one of the day’s many special releases, instead of just raiding the stash at your local Goodwill. (Fun fact: Every pile of more than 20 used records includes at least one copy of the “Man of La Mancha” original Broadway cast recording.) I’m not sure I buy the idea that music sounds better, warmer, on vinyl; I think album sleeves are probably just a really good surface for breaking up weed. 4.19. Various times and locations. FREE

* Hey, speak of the devil — the devil’s weed, that is. It’s every stoner’s favorite holiday, and Allston’s Green Side Up Gallery is celebrating with the 420 Customer Appreciation Day music festival at Great Scott, right upstairs from the “tobacco pipe” shop. Roll up a jazz cigarette and head over for some crunchy grooves, raffles and giveaways. 4.20. High noon. $10 suggested donation